


Stuck with you

by sugarandspace



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Quarantine, Sappy Ending, Supernatural Illnesses, Worried Alec Lightwood, You Have Been Warned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:54:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23191984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarandspace/pseuds/sugarandspace
Summary: In which there's a dangerous warlock illness going around New York and Alec is being a protective mother hen.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 10
Kudos: 208





	Stuck with you

**Author's Note:**

> Let's be real, it was only a matter of time until I wrote this.

It was a perfectly normal Tuesday evening when they got the news.

“Okay, thank you for letting me know Catarina,” Magnus said as he ended the call. He looked troubled, so Alec put away the tablet he had used to finish some of the Institute work.

“Is something wrong?” He asked and stood up from the couch. He walked to where Magnus was still standing, his eyes on the phone. Alec touched his elbow gently to get his attention.

“Catarina just told me about a certain warlock illness that’s apparently found its way to New York,” Magnus told him as he put his phone back to his pocket.

Alec, instantly more worried, looked at his husband’s concerned face and shifted so he was in front of Magnus, his hands on Magnus’ shoulders.

“Is it dangerous?”

“To some, yes,” Magnus agreed. “It can be. But this branch of illness will only affect certain types of warlocks, warlocks with a specific heritage.”

“Is it dangerous to you?” Alec asked the question that was troubling him the most.

“Unfortunately yes,” Magnus said, his hands coming up to hold Alec’s waist. “Catarina told me that another warlock - my stepsister if you want to put it in mundane terms - came for her for help earlier today. She has informed Lorenzo and she wanted to inform me personally.”

“What can we do? How do we know you’re not already infected?” Alec asked, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. He was a problem solver by nature and he wanted to get to the root of this problem. 

“There’s a spell I can do to make sure I don’t have it,” Magnus explained. “I’ll do it in a minute. Other than that there’s not much we can do. I’m afraid I have to avoid the great outdoors in the coming future, and I’ll have to cancel my clients. The illness is not untreatable but it can get serious if I get it and it’s not spotted early enough.”

“When you say serious…” Alec trailed off, not particularly wanting to finish that sentence.

“Yes, Alexander,” Magnus told him with a sad smile. “It can kill me.”

Unable to even stomach the thought, Alec pulled him in for a tight hug which Magnus returned fully.

“There’s one thing I have to ask from you Alexander,” Magnus said as he pulled away from the hug.

Alec nodded, “Anything.”

“I’m afraid you need to stay at the institute the next few days until we can be sure the risk has passed,” Magnus said.

“What? Why?” Alec asked. “Can it be dangerous for me too?”

“No,” Magnus said. “But there’s a risk you’ll bring it to the loft after you’ve been outside. I’m sorry, I don’t want to drive you away from your own home-”

“I’m not leaving,” Alec said, stopping Magnus mid-sentence.

Magnus looked confused, so Alec rushed to explain.

“I’m not leaving you alone. I can’t come and go to the loft like I usually do? Fine. But I choose to be stuck inside rather than outside.”

“But your work-” Magnus tried to protest. 

“I’ll find a way to do it from here,” Alec told him. “I’m sure Izzy and Jace will help me. I am not leaving you alone when you’re in danger.”

“You don’t need to,” Magnus tried to protest, knowing how difficult it was for Alec to even get two days off. “I’ll be fine as long as I stay here.”

“In sickness and health Magnus,” Alec reminded him. “I promised you.”

Magnus was quiet for a while after that, looking at Alec with wonder in his eyes, shaking his head a little. 

“You really are one of a kind, Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane.”

Alec ignored the small twinge of pain that came with the realization that this was something Magnus considered special when it should be what any loving partner should do. Instead he focused on the fact that Magnus had seemed to give up, and the fact that he was smiling that small loving smile only Alec seemed to get.

“Use that spell,” he said, leaning down to kiss Magnus softly before he continued. “Make sure you’re healthy. I’ll make a few phone calls and then I’ll be all yours until the illness has left this city.”

Organizing time off from the Institute was easier than Alec had expected. It was mostly because his siblings had been so understanding when he’d explained the situation. They had promised to send some of Alec’s work to him so he could do it in the loft and promised to handle all things that would require being present at the Institute. After the phone call Alec sent a few emails, rescheduling meetings. In the end, he managed to clear his schedule so that he didn’t need to leave the loft for at least a week. If the situation continued for longer than that he would make more changes then. By the time he was putting his tablet away, Magnus stepped out of his apothecary.

“Is everything okay?” Alec asked. His eyes followed his husband as Magnus walked closer and sat next to him on the couch. 

“I’m perfectly healthy,” Magnus assured him.

“That’s good,” Alec said, pulling Magnus closer so he was resting against Alec’s side. Magnus moved willingly and got comfortable, moving his own arm to rest around Alec’s waist. 

It was quiet and calm in the loft for a moment.

“We seem to have a lot of time in our hands now,” Alec commented. “I mean I obviously have to do Institute work and I’m sure you have your own things you can do in the loft but we will also be spending a lot more time together.”

“You’ll be sick of me by the end of the week,” Magnus said with a little laugh.

Alec knew it was a joke but he couldn’t help but answer honestly, “Not possible.”

Magnus swatted his hand against Alec’s stomach where it was resting.

“Sap.”

“You knew that when you married me,” Alec teased.

“Hmm,” Magnus hummed. “It was actually one of the reasons I did.”

Alec didn’t know how to reply, so he turned his head to leave a kiss to Magnus’ forehead, deeming that a response enough. 

“So what do you want to do?” Magnus asked after a while.

“I’m actually pretty comfortable right here, so how about we watch a movie?”

“Excellent idea, love,” Magnus commented, snapping his fingers and the remote control appeared to his hand. Another snap and there was a bowl of popcorn on Alec’s lap.

“At least we don’t need to worry about running out of food,” Alec commented as a movie started playing on the screen in front of them.

“Perks of being quarantined with a warlock,” Magnus replied.

They watched the movie in silence but Alec found it difficult to concentrate, his mind still focused on their current situation. It was about halfway through the movie that he spoke, knowing that he needed answers to his questions.

“Magnus?” He asked gently.

“Hmm?” Magnus asked from where he was cuddled against Alec. About half an hour to the movie the empty popcorn bowl had disappeared and Alec had replaced it with the soft blanket they kept on the back of the couch, wide enough to comfortably cover both of their legs.

“If you do get ill, what kind of symptoms will you have?”

Magnus sat up so that he was able to look Alec in the dim lighting of the living room. He leaned his elbow to the back of the couch as he looked at Alec and Alec mirrored him, turning towards Magnus as well. It was clear that both of them were now ignoring the movie.

“My magic will start acting up,” Magnus explained. “It’ll get more and more difficult to control it. I will also have mundane symptoms, like fever and fatigue. Some warlocks get flu-like symptoms, like a cough or a runny nose.”

Alec nodded, making sure to remember everything Magnus was saying. 

“And what can I do, if you start having symptoms?” He asked. 

“They usually start slowly, so I’ll be able to deal with it on my own,” Magnus said. He was smiling, and Alec didn’t know it was because he had offered help or because Magnus was trying not to make him worry.

“But what if they don’t?” Alec challenged. “I want to know how I’m able to help.”

“Very well,” Magnus agreed, moving his hand along the back of the couch so he was able to hold Alec’s. He gave it a gentle squeeze before he continued. “Truthfully, there isn’t much you can do. You should call Catarina, she will help you. There is also one potion that you can give me that should ease the symptoms for long enough that Catarina will have time to arrive.”

“Where is that potion?” Alec asked immediately. 

Magnus reached out his other hand and soon in a whisp of blue a small bottle appeared on his palm. The bottle was about the size of Alec’s pinky. Alec reached out and took it, studying the green liquid inside.

“It’s not a cure but it will help,” Magnus explained.

Alec nodded, “Is this the only bottle?”

“No, I have more in my apothecary,” Magnus said.

“Good,” Alec said and pocketed the small bottle. “That means I can keep this with me.”

Magnus laughed a little but Alec could see that the smile was more fond than it was amused.

“You really do take this seriously,” Magnus commented.

“Of course I do,” Alec said, his tone almost offended. “It’s about your safety.”

-.-.- 

Magnus was a very social person by nature, and while he clearly enjoyed Alec’s company, it started to be obvious by the day four that the walls were starting to close in on him.

“How does the illness transmit?” Alec asked while they were having lunch. “Are you at a risk just by being outside or do you need to be in contact with someone who’s sick?”

“Someone who’s sick or who is carrying it,” Magnus told him. “And we’ll have no idea who might be carrying it. That’s why going out in public is not a wise idea right now.”

Alec nodded and let the conversation switch to happier topics. 

After lunch, they both spent quite a lot of time working. Magnus was in his apothecary finishing orders he could deliver with magic and Alec sat in the living room where he replied to some emails he had got and had a video call from Isabelle who briefed him on how things were at the Institute as well asked how Magnus was doing.

Alec told her the truth, that he was healthy but going a bit crazy inside four walls. Isabelle wished them good luck but Alec assured that he had a plan.

And because his husband was a workaholic who loved his job and often got lost in it, the plan was more than easy to set in motion. When Alec was finally done with all that needed to be done that day (and a bit extra, because he too seemed to forget to check the time while he was working) Magnus was still in his apothecary. Alec moved quickly and quietly, heating the oven and cooking the pizza that they had in the freezer. He found the wine glasses and took a bottle of wine from their impressive collection, and took them where their dinner would be served. He put everything ready and once the pizza was out of the oven, he cut it to slices and placed it on a plate. When everything was ready he walked to the apothecary.

He stopped at the doorway, knocking softly, making sure that he didn’t surprise Magnus. He had accidentally done that once and it had nearly had catastrophic consequences. 

“Am I disturbing something?” He asked as Magnus looked at him with a smile before he turned back to his work.

“Not at all,” Magnus said. Alec saw that he was pouring something to a medium-sized vial. The liquid was blue and the room smelled faintly of sea. Alec turned his attention form the liquid to Magnus as Magnus sealed the vial and sent it away in a puff of smoke.

“Are you finished?” Alec asked.

“I am,” Magnus said and with another wave of his hands, the extra ingredients on his table were back in their own places. After that, he turned to look at Alec. “I’m all yours for the rest of the evening.”

“Great,” Alec said, reaching forward so Magnus would take his hand. “Because I have a surprise for you.”

Magnus raised his eyebrows and took Alec’s hand, letting him guide him to the balcony. Alec sat him down to the small couch Magnus had there and draped a blanket over his shoulders. The night air was chilly and they needed something besides each other to keep themselves warm, but it wasn’t cold enough for it to be unpleasant.

“Wait here,” Alec explained as he went back inside to get the plate of pizza he’d left there so it would stay warm. As he got back to the balcony he noticed that Magnus had poured them both glasses of wine.

“Oh pizza,” Magnus noted happily. He lifted the blanket to make room for Alec and Alec sat down, sinking into the warmth.

“Well,” Alec started as he got comfortable, balancing the plate on their laps. “We can’t go out to eat in a restaurant, but we can go outside. I think some fresh air will do us both some good.”

“Definitely,” Magnus agreed. “How is it that we haven’t even visited the balcony in the past few days. I forgot how nice fresh air feels.”

As if to prove his point, Mangus closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. As he opened them again he looked around the balcony, at the little candle on the table and the fairy lights going around one of the columns. Then his eyes turned back to Alec.

“This is all very nice,” he said and leaned in to give Alec a soft kiss. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Alec replied, proud of his ability to make this quarantine a little more bearable for Magnus. “Now eat your pizza before it gets cold.”

They shared the pizza and drank their wine, but they stayed on the balcony talking about this and that far after their plate and glasses were empty. It wasn’t until Alec almost fell asleep that they decided that it was probably better to go inside and go to bed.

-.-.-

When Catarina called six days later to inform them that there wasn’t a trace of the illness in the city, they were both relieved. Magnus would no longer need to fear for his life and they would be allowed to come and go as they pleased. They would be able to go back to their normal life and Alec wouldn’t need to freak out after every sneeze, asking Magnus to perform the spell to make sure he hadn’t somehow gotten the illness even though they had been careful.

It was a relief for them both, but when asked later by their siblings or their friends, neither would say that it had been particularly difficult. They might have been closed off from the outside world but they’d had what they needed the most.

Each other.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope everyone is safe and finding okay ways to cope with the situation. If you want to talk I have [tumblr](https://sugarandspace.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/sugarandspace_) and I'm online a lot while I'm staying at home!


End file.
